Sunrise of the Mind

As I was leaving the club this morning at 6:30 AM, after a hard fought racquetball match, I was treated to an especially enjoyable sight--a beautiful sunrise.

I have to say, I really improved my mood--because I was limping due to a pulled/strained muscle and I really needed the lift. The sun had not yet risen--but it rays were fanned out across the sky, kind of like the advance party for the day that was dawning.

I was really kinda down because I have a bit of a head cold, I am playing hurt in my racquetball league again--and I am wondering why every new racquetball league brings a new and distressing injury.

But the sunrise--now that was a thing of beauty and it drove me to think of the blessings that I have received and of those around me who love me.

I wish I had my camera--but I almost never have my camera with me when I want it most. Isn't that the way it goes. Then when I have it with me--the battery is dead.

But I have the memory--and God provided a little reminder in my life this morning of His greatness and beauty.

Isaiah 58:8 says it all:
Then your light will shine like the sunrise;
your restoration will quickly arrive;
your godly behavior will go before you,
and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.


yeah!

A Taste of What is to Come

I love summer--everyone knows that. This past weekend provided a foretaste of what is on the way. We had a very Springlike weekend which allowed most of the ice to melt and provided temperatures in the 60's.

Yay.

And we got some of the critical pre-Springtime outside work done--for instance cutting down the ornamental grasses which line the the fence surrounding the pool. This task--which is not a lot of fun, is one of those annual maintenance tasks which results in summertime beauty--lots of green. It also reminds us that Winter is waning, although not gone.

Makayla enjoyed being outside with us--but had to be confined within the fence line because she has that puppy nose for wandering. We are still working with her on some of those basic commands like: NO and COME. Yeah--she is really a puppy now and trying to push those limits to see how far we will let her go.

She starts puppy school on March 18th at Petsmart.

Working outside in just a shirt was fabulous though. The mud was a bit hard to deal with-- but still I'm glad we did not let the day escape without enjoying the sun and the warmth.

But warmth and Springtime are within sight--although I'm sure Winter will remind us that it is still around at least once more.

Super Bowl Leadership Lesson

The family met and conquered another Super Sunday.

It is sad that another NFL season has ended. At least one family member is happy with the outcome--but I nearly had to call 9-1-1 during the last part of the 4th quarter. It was great to watch someone so in tune with his team that he never lost faith--well, almost never. He was really questioning the game situation with a little over 2 minutes to go, his team down, and not moving or controlling the ball very well.

We run across situation similar to that in life every so often. Time running out, our situation bleak, and having to dig down deep to pull out a miracle.

Ever think about those times? When the miracle finish actually happens? Who do we thank for it?

Do we keep all the credit for ourselves, or do we share it with those who helped?

Isn't that the true character of a winner and a leader? To humble themselves and build up others? Share the success and shoulder the blame for a poor performance.

Do we thank God for our success? For our abilities? Do we thank those around us?

I'm reminded of Big Ben holding the Lombardi Trophy yelling his thanks and praise to his O-line!

A study in leadership!

Cold Enough?

Why do we live with this cold weather?

So many of you know that I really love warm places. In fact one of my favorite means to evaluate cities and towns that I visit revolves around the presence of palm trees on the street corners.

The weather lately has been very cold. I have not been as cold as I was in Omaha a couple weeks ago when it was -7 F. But even here in balmy, by comparison, Maryland it has been cold in the teens and twenties.

The problem of course is the puppy. Since 5:15 AM this morning I have been outside with her four times to perform various elimination activities. (I've been told that the "P" words are on the outs so I can't write pee or poop)

And the temperature is in the teens. Cold. And ice to fall on. I slipped the other night walking the puppy. In our neighborhood it seems homeowners do not really like to clean off their sidewalks. Ugh.

And then there's the electric bill to keep warm--the constant tension between being warm and paying the electric bill. Turn it up, turn it down. Too hot, too cold.

Ah--well--we can always travel someplace warm and dream. But then, would we be confronted with this?

A man relates the following travel story:

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me, 'Has your plane arrived yet?'. . .


I guess I'll wait for Springtime and to open the pool.

Ups and Downs

Families are marvelous aren't they?

We"circle the wagons" when there is a crisis--like when Jackson was born with problems. Or when one of us has financial problems or has some definable need.

But you know what--sometimes when life is more sedate we begin to focus on the minor stuff.

We need to remember how much we love each other and need each other and not major on the minors.

We need to remember that when one of us really upsets the rest--that we've all been there before. Whether getting monetary assistance, or living with the parents for a year or two--we have needs an assist from family and each one of us was better for it.

We don't always agree--so what. But we each bring something to the family that makes it stronger.

It is hard sometimes to realize that we are different--each has a different set of experiences and has a personal view of the world and our place in it.

But--let's not start taking out the knife and slicing each other apart. Until we walk in each others shoes--we don't really know what is going on in every one's heads.

We need to show the same deference to others that we have needed in the past. We need to stop character assassinations.

Remember--each of us has needed the safety of the "circled family wagons" in the past. Let's remember the safety and protection that the family provides.

How Did He Do That?

Louis figured out how to avoid Makayla by jumping on the table.

Makayla was chasing him and then, Louis was gone. Tormenting him from above.

It was very frustrating for the puppy.

She just had that look of utter disbelief as the cat she was about to pounce on evaporated before her eyes.

But, there is always another day.

And another chase.

I'm a Snow Dog

So who cares that I'm really from Holland?

I love snow!

Who wants to be a watch dog on some barge anyway.

And we finally had some snow in Maryland that I could play in and enjoy. It is so clean and free of scent. And fun.

And I'm getting big.

I had an appointment with the vet today. Ugh--four shots and something up my nose.

And I have round worms because Daddy didn't watch me and I played in some rabbit doo-doo.

But it was fun!

I love snow though.

Mommy was home all day and we played and played and played in the snow.

She likes the snow as much as I do.

She is a good playmate.

How Cute am I?

Makayla is getting big. We continue to be amazed at how much she has grown and all of the new things she does.

She is playing with a new toy we bought her on Saturday.

She does not like the vacuum--but we successfully get her to go back to bed when she gets up at 5:30 on the weekends.

She bounces like Tigger when she runs after a toy we thrown.

She makes me laugh a lot.

Makayla the wonder puppy

We had a break through this week.

The puppy is becoming house trained and has determined how to let the human members of her pack know when she is in need of a visit outside for some relief.

At 11 weeks--we are ecstatic.

She goes to the door and paws it--we need to hear it, but since we are now tuned into her method of advising us of her need--we have been pretty good. We still take her out a lot anyway. But this is great news.

She is also learning to sit and wait. I just which I could get her not to want to suffocate Zachery with love every time she sees him. He really doesn't appreciate it too much.

But they have begun to play a bit--so we are making progress.

It is amazing how this puppy is getting us moving. I have just come in from a walk--the morning walk. And we are doing an afternoon walk of about a mile and three-quarters every afternoon.

All of this was in addition to playing four racquetball matches this week. I lost three of them--I'm not playing the most inspired racquetball of my life right now.

But the wonder puppy is everywhere and it is cool to come home and have someone excited about my arrival.

The Hope of the Nation

Wow, as I watched the Inauguration yesterday on TV, I was touched by the faces of the people in the crowds. Faces that seemed to be springing to life with hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

Change sometimes does that for us, doesn't it? Allows us to break from the the past and reinvent ourselves. That is just the position our new President finds himself. All of those lofty idealistic statements and the visioning. Now its crunch time. Time to distance ourselves for what we didn't like about yesterday and remake our nation and ourselves into what we want it to be for the future.

I too have hope.


I think it is time to change and lean into the bit from a different direction. Seems nothing was getting done form the way we were approaching the problem.

See--there's hope.

We as people need to also assess our lives and the direction we are headed. Are we getting stuff done from the approach we are taking, or are we just banging our heads against the immovable wall of resistance. If we're not moving forwards, then perhaps there comes a time in our lives when we too must consider changing course and holding out hope for a new path.

Leaders need to be tuned into their teams and their processes to determine when a strategy change could be needed. Reinvent the team as we reinvent ourselves.

Just as our President seeks to reinvent our nation and change our focus--just so long as we hold fast to our basic core values.